] by ms the flocks of thy companions 7. _ : ance ek age all cheſeDiſcouragements andAfflictions whach
-cv;ted by others, I flee to thee,O my only Refuge and Joy,and i bes direftion and help from thee. þ Underſtand thy flock, as Gen, 29. 7. & 37. 16. Seing falſe Teachers and Churches bear thy Name, Mark 13+ 21, 22, and thy true Church ſomerimes lies hid, Rev. 12. 14, diſcover to me which is thy true Church, and which are thoſe Aiſctmblies and People where thou art preſent,and where thine Or- dinances are diſpenſed in purity and power,and where thou doſt and wiltſt command the bleſſing, even L' fe for evermore, as It 15 expreſſed, Pſz. 133. 3« that I may joyn my ſelf to them. This 1s the requeſt of particular Believers, For it muſt be minded, as that which will be uſeſu! to explain many difficuities in this Book, that the Church 3 this Book is ſometimes conſidered,and ſpeaketh, or 1s ſpoken of as.one entire Body,and ſometimes with reſpet unto.andin the name of her particular Members,and that promitcuouſly ; and, in which
gent and viligent Reader to gather out of the words and Context.
tioned as another viſible part and ſeat of Beauty,Hoſ. 10. 17. But to accommodate every part and ornament named in this Book,to {ſome particular thing inthe Church,ſeems ro have more of Curioſity and Artificethan of ſolidity and uſe. y Whereby,zg well as by the rows of jewels, he may ſeem to deſign all thoſe perſons and things where- with the Church is made beauriful in the Eyes of God, and of men, ſuch as excellent Miniſters, and Saints, righteous Laws, holy Ordi- nanCces, and the Gif:s and Graces of GodsSpirit all which are given by God to the Church,and are her beſt ornaments.
Ir We z will make thee borders of gold, with ſtuds of ſilver a.
z I thy Bridegroom, with the co-operation of my Father,and of the holy Spirit. Such plural Expreſſions are ſometimes uſed in Scrip- ture concerning one God to note the plurality of Perſons in one Di- vine Efſence, as hath been noted upon Gen. 1. 26. and elſewhere. a Beantiful and honourable Ornaments,ſuch as t::oſe v. 10. Variety of Expreſſions are uſed to ſignifie the various kinds and Improve- ments of the Gifts & Graces which are beſtowed by Chriſt upon the Church, The Phraſe here uſed may be compared with that of Ap- ples of gold in plures of ſilver, Prov. 254 1.
12 Whilethe king 6 /itteth at his table, c my ſpike- nard dſendeth forth the ſmell thereof e. -
b My Royal Husband. « Either 1. With the ſpirits of juſt men and bleſſed Angels in heavenly Glory,to which Chriſt was advanced afrer his ſufferings,and from which he poureth down his Spirit upon his People. Or rather 2, With me in his Goſpel and Ordinances, in which Chriſt ertertaineth his People, and is ina ſpecial, and gra- cious, and glorious manner preſent witki them, Mat. 18. 20.& 28. :0. whichalſo 1s oft repreſented in Scripture under the notion of a Fe: ſt or Banquer, of which ſee Prov. 9.1, 2,3, 5: 1/s. 25: 6. Mat: 8: 11: & 22: 12;1 Cor:10: 21, 4 The Graces of his Spirit conferred vpon me, and drawn forth by his powerful preſence,which is here com- pared to thoſe ſweet Ointments which the Maſter of the Feaſt cauſe
7 In ar of the day,when the Shepherds in rhoſe hot Countries Ho _ their flocks into ſhadowy places. W hereby he means ; the time of hor peri:cition, when it is hard to find and diſcover the | true Church, partly becauſe ſhe 1s deformed by itand partly becauſe ; ſhe is obſcured ani driven into rhe Wilderneſs, as 1s ſaid, Rev, 12. | 14. ki.e Be really one, the particle, as» being here a note of trut',as it 15inmany other placessWhy wiltit thou by withdrawing | thy ſe:f om me,and denying thy dir-Ction to me, ſuffer me, or } #ive occaſion to me to be ſuch a one? / Or,s wanderer, or vagabond, like 2 n«gletted and forelorn Creature expoſed both to cenſure and Janoer from both which it belongs to thee, my Husband,to prote& and fave me. m Or,about, or towards, as this particle 3s elſewhere aſed. » The aſſemblies of corrupt and falſ- Teachers and Worſhip- ers, by which I am like to be enſnared, if thou doſt foreſake me. - Theſe he callsChr:{tsCampanions, partly becauſe they proteſs the name of Chri't, and their conjun&ion with him in Gods Worſhip ; and partly beczuſe tney ſer themſelves up in Chriſts ſtead,and uſurp his Power in delivering and impoſing their own Law's and DoQtrines up- on mens Conſciences, and behave ti.emſelves like his equals or Come 4nio:ns, not as becometh his SubjeCts.
d fzed thy kids q befide the ſhepherds tents r. % To wit, wi So I fd my Sheep. For this is Chriſts anſwer to his Spouſe or People. 9 Though thou art black in thine own and others Eyes, yet thou art very beauriful and amiable ro me,as being
waſhed white in my Blood, and beautified with my Gif's and Gra» N
ſerve and follow the paths which my Sheep had trodden Me? Tye my faithful Servants, Abraham, and others, « hoſe Ex» ? amples are propounded for Our Imitarion, Rom. ” "+ * Heb. 6. 12. For che Church in a!l Ages is one and the ſa.ne, and there 1s but one way far tie ſubſtance, in which all the Sai-ts from the begin- ning to the end of rhe World do wa'k, Chrift veing yeſterday and to day, and the [amr for ever, Heb. 13+ 8. and rhe Lamb ſlain fom the foundation of the World, Rev. 13.8. 9q Take corc for the feeding or reaching of ali,and eſpecially of young and w-ak Chriſtians, who do and ſhati aſſociate rhemſelves to thee, whom the Holy Ghoſt Calls Lambs, Fohn 21- 15, 16. as here Kids, Foralrhough grown and wan- ton Goats arecommon]y uſed in Scriprure in a bad ſenſe, yer rhe Kias of the Goats do ſometimes note Bzlievers,:s / ſa. 11, 6. and Kids were among thoſe Sacrifices which repreſented Curiſt, Heb, 9. 12, i3, 14. r Uader the Condu&, and according to the inſtruction of my Faithful Shepherds, or Paſtors, firſt and chiefly choſe who have gone before thee, rhe Prophets and Apoſtles, and after, and in ſub- ordination to them, and to their Writiags,others whomT hall raiſe from time to time to feed my People with Wiſdom and Under- ſtanding. | 9 Thave compared thee s, * O my'love, to a campa- ny of Horſes in Pharaohs chariots z. s Heb: I have made thee ike ; which may be underſtood either 1- Verþally;:by comparing. Or 2. Really, by making a real re- ſ:mblance in Quality or Condition. * Either r. For comlineſs ; for
Jok14:15; an Horſe 5s a very ſtately and beautiful Creature, and the Egyprian